What’s haslingden like these days?

Hi everyone,

Planning a move to Rossendale, for the semi rural life and all that comes with it. Dog walks, biking, views etc.

I know a bit about the area and have family in newchurch. We would ideally like to be no further from Manchester, than Ramsottom and surrounding areas, Rawtenstll at the most.

I know Rammy is nice, as is edenfield, holcombe and rawtenstall is on the up.

I’ve read a few previous posts on here, from years ago about the rossendale valley but cant really find any info on haslingden anywhere.

House prices are much better there, but is there a reason for that?

ive seen a house there that we are very interested in, close to deardengate.

Thanks in advance.

I think Haslingdon is looking a bit run down/ shoddy with most houses being rented and estates and centre looking in need of some work, Rawtenstall on the other hand is having a mini rennaisance with a trading estate, shops and restaurants opening and four excellent micro-pubs. [ I live there so I may be biased] .

Rammy is mega expensive and mainly an evening economy = lots of restaurants + bars but local reports suggest an increase in burglaries .Hope that helps

You don’t have to get to Manchester do you?

Have a couple of colleagues up that area, rubbish travel and snow can catch you out a bit more.

Haslingden – and a lot of the valley – is a dump. It’s a past its (never very) best as a mill town. Now it is a convenient place for posh barn conversions aimed at the Manchester glitterati. It’s hard to get to by road – always a slow crawl, and Northern Rail have virtually killed off any reason to travel by rail.

Weather in the valley is a micro climate. The spinning & weaving industry went there because of the abundant water supplies. Guess where the water comes from?

Biking is a problem on the narrow roads and we know what car drivers think about considering cyclists. On the moor the trails are second rate and not always obvious on the ground. Scenery could never be said to be pretty pretty. Pretty ugly maybe!

House prices are cheap for a reason.

Biking is a problem on the narrow roads and we know what car drivers think about considering cyclists. On the moor the trails are second rate and not always obvious on the ground. Scenery could never be said to be pretty pretty. Pretty ugly maybe!

Not my experience.

Helmshore is nice. Wouldn’t choose Haslingden

travel to Manchester IS an issue with the m66 gridlocked most mornings- they really need to put a tram or train connection in.

However I disagree about the quality of riding – there’s a brilliant network of trails, bridleways pack horse routes etc as well as the quarries if you like them .

Biking is a problem on the narrow roads and we know what car drivers think about considering cyclists. On the moor the trails are second rate and not always obvious on the ground. Scenery could never be said to be pretty pretty. Pretty ugly maybe!

Not my experience either, although signage can be poor.

Rawtenstall is a lovely place to live and work,  as is Rammy. Haslingdon,  Bacup and Waterfoot aren’t.

Yes Haslingden’s biggest problem is the M66, which can be rammed on rainy mornings and evenings outside school holidays. I don’t know why the East Lancs Railway can’t run commuter services to Bury to connect with the Metrolink. Or even extend the Metrolink to Haslingden, which would be a good earner. OTOH Haslingden does have the excellent Ride On bike shop, which is about to move into an old church.

The whole Calderdale valley is pretty grim with the exception of Hebden Bridge, especially in winter when some parts don’t see sun for months due to the steep valley sides. Bacup has to be the worst, the place where they kick goths to death.

Have a serious look at Burnley; there are some okay parts like Ightenhill near Rosegrove Station and the new Todmorden curve has linked Burnley and Accrington more directly to Manchester, meaning (so the press claim) that savvy buyers are snapping up cheap property in Burnley and commuting. Here: https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/todmorden-curve

Rawtenstall and Haslingden do seem to have a very disjointed transport system. East Lancs railway as mentioned above, but also the A56 / A682 junction ie no east / west interchange between two major dual carriageway roads. Everyone has to use a 30mph residential road that runs parallel!

To live I’d go Ramsbottom  Helmshore, Edenfield or Rawtenstall, defo not Haslingden or Bacup

Riding is fabulous as has been said and I think the countryside is gorgeous. Yeah of course there are plenty of shitty bits too.

To counter slightly, not the centre’s of Bacup, Waterfoot  or Haslingdrn, but there are plenty of nice ‘village’s outside the centre’s. Also [pedant mode] Ride On is in Rawtenstall [\pedant mode].

I’ve lived in edenfield all my life until 18months ago – now in Rawtenstall.

Major planning/ house building planned for edenfield in the next 10 years which will destroy it’s small village feel. All the locals selling up and getting out hence the houses for sale on Market st.

Rawtenstall is up and coming and has good local facilities. Nightmare traffic though at peak times. I drive an extra 2 miles on my commute to avoid the central roundabout.

Helmshore has nice bits but is expensive- nice access to irwell vale for dog walks etc.

Haslingden doesn’t have as much going for it apart from Cissy Greens pie shop. The centre is uninspiring. The odd nice house but generally lower stock terraces.

Waterfoot is worth a gamble – we’ve bought a big project there on the back of it. Good local facilities (doctors, post office, co op, bus link etc). Nice Victorian shopping arcade (allbeit full of takeaways) some nice ‘grand designs’ style bespoke houses nestled in if you walk around and spot them. Still cheap. Negatives are that it’s nowhere near as up and come’d as Rawtenstall.

Lumb village (up from Waterfoot is nice)

Crawshawbooth is nice but has the hassle of rawtenstall traffic

Rossendale has more footpaths than any other UK borough.

Thanks everyone, appreciate your input.

The house is a 5 bed detached old vicarage, big, surrounded with a large garden and great views. But, right next to a council estate, hence the price I think. Shame, as I liked the house, it has a lot of potential.

We had a fantastic breakfast in dearden tea rooms, apparently the best in Lancashire! But the rest of the town centre was uninspiring.

The hard bit is finding everything you want for the budget you have in a good area.

here’s hoping!

That’s the problem, your money is going to go a lot further in Haslingden.

Echo all the feedback about the area and the biking/countryside. Not many massive hills, but so many paths you can make some brilliant and challenging routes.

Hope you find what you’re after.

Matt

Maybe not massive hills but you can bank on 1000ft of ascent for every 10 miles ridden.

Maybe not massive hills but you can bank on 1000ft of ascent for every 10 miles ridden.

and sinking to your knees in a bog?

Like I said, don’t underestimate the value the new Todmorden Curve will add to propeties in Burnley and surrounding area. That and the also new Ordsall Chord in Manchester are very rare examples of new railway investment in the north and both will make a huge difference.

For everything that’s wrong with Haslingden look right here for a good example.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/16312510.yobs-damage-bus-and-jump-on-cars-in-haslingden-after-england-world-cup-victory/

The centre of Haslingden is rough as a badger’s in the evening. Lot’s of scrotes and JustEat drivers make it a wild west town. No noticable Police prescence even when it’s really kicking off.

Plenty of nicer places away from the centre and the trails and moorland are great.

If I can help Caravangler, If it’s St James Vicarage my Ex Wife used to rent it up to 18 months ago when the Church decided to sell it.

The only issues she ever had were old dears knocking on/letting themselves in, if unlocked, looking for the vicar.

Kids hanging around the carpark briefly as the church is a Pokemon Gym, My son taking great delight in winning the gym back the second they left.

Apart from that, they really liked the place.

Parking is a pain for visitors on a Sunday 😉